Wednesday, March 05, 2008

Faith is a funny thing really. Well, at least for me it is. One day I am a rock of faith and nothing can sway me from what I know to be true. The next day I am a puddle on the floor just waiting for God to mop me up! :0) -I think learning NOT to depend on emotion is such a huge maturing process. We have to learn to ignore our emotions that scream out FEAR!!!!! ANGER!!!!!I HAVE TO!!!! I CAN'T!!!! until our ears and hearts are ringing with the sound. -Instead we have to train our hearts to hear that still, small voice that whispers... peace....patience....love....courage....stop, don't go there....yes, this is right.... It is so much easier to hear the screaming pounding of our emotions. It's such a trap. If we are ruled by the shifting sand of our emotions we have no compass- no foundation. It's that small voice- so quiet that we have to STOP to listen to it- that guides us the right way. It takes us saying to our emotions- SHUT UP! I've had enough! Then slowing down to hear the truth we have known all along.-I have a song that mt friends and I have loved since college. The older I get the more the words make sense. I would like to dedicate this to all of my blogger buddies out there taking leaps of faith-trying to live by faith and not by sight.

I also want to dedicate this to my dear friend Amy who teaches me a little bit more about faith every time I am privileged to talk to her. http://buildingtheblocks.blogspot.com/ You are a world changer my friend. You challenge me and encourage me so much. THANK YOU for being my friend. I know God sent you my way. I am crazy proud of you. Hugs, AngelWhat has God taught YOU about faith? Speak up blogger buddies... ;0)

I was just thinking about how that fear, doubt, anger are not of God! They are directly due tolack of faith. Those are not fruits of The Spirit! Those are not qualities of God's love as 1 Cor 13 display. Holding those emotions captive can be so tricky as we go through sufferings, small and great. But, we all know that "God is still doing GREAT things!" We just have to have a heartchange.

I really had to rely on my faith during my post partum depression after Teagan was born, when we had some financial hardship, and moving here to Round Rock. It's amazing how life seems to be 'easy' when my faith is strong, and it seems to be mountainous when its not.

Ok- first you made me about cry and then I thought wait a minute- how ironic because YOU are the who has been such an inspiration to me and made me more aware of those around me in need. Seriously, if it hadn't been for your friendship I would have never, ever, had the courage to face my fears head on and say yes to God. Your friendship is such a blessing to me and each day I try to be a little more like Angel.;0) Love ya girl!!! Amy

Kai Justice

About Me

My name is Angel. I'm 34 yrs old. I'm a homeschooling, gluten free, Jesus loving, Disney going, Twilight reading, nose ring wearing, picture taking,world traveling, orphan holding warrior girl of a mom to 4 beautiful children. Each of our children is such a blessing. I can't imagine life without the joy they bring. Of course... never 2 b forgotten...I have an amazing husband (Russ) who I adore w/all of my heart. I would pick him over any man in the world- hands down. Plus he is super hot too. :o) Living an average life doesn't cut it for us. Who knows what wild adventures lie ahead. I guess I have what most people might consider kind of a crazy life. I wouldn't want it any other way. My life is amazing. The ups and downs have taught me so much along the way. I am excited to see where God leads us. It's gonna be GREAT! Join us for the journey... Angel

Dangerous Surrender Book Club

Our Deepest Fear- by Marianne Williamson

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

Where are my readers from?

Change A Life With Only $25!!!!!

Our Cast of Characters

Pop

Nonny

Polka Dot

This is Polka Dot! She is married to Grandpa- Angel's Mother

Grandpa

This is Grandpa! He is married to Polka Dot- Angel's Father

Cousin Lauren

This is Lauren! (the one in the middle)

Lauren

This is Lauren and her brothers. You knew her as Esperanza if you followed Zoe's adoption in Guatemala. Zoe and Lauren were very close in Guatemala as they both waited to be adopted. Now Lauren lives in the US with her biological brothers (shown with her here) who were adopted before she was and her wonderful new parents!

Tia Bek

This is Tia Bek. She is my mom's best buddy and a part of the family. Zoe adores her and Bek speaks to her in Spanish to help her keep it as a second language.

Scott and Carol

This is Scott and Carol with Lauren. They are her parents. These people are beyond amazing. They adopted Lauren's younger siblings. Her youngest brother had a rare extremely life threatening disease. After over a year of battling for his life they started the process to adopt Lauren. They are some of the strongest people I know. I am so grateful that we get to know them through our girls. We are meeting them in Sea World this summer with all our kiddos! YAY!

Lidia

This is Lidia! She was Zoe's foster sister in Guatemala. She was waiting along with Lauren and Zoe. She came home to her amazing family in the US a couple of months before Zoe. She was nine years old when she got home. Zoe and Lidia are extremely close. We went to visit them in July.

Lidia's family

This is Lidia's family! They are experienced in the adoption world. Before they adopted Lidia they adopted Bayla (their youngest) from China. Now Brinley has come home from China too. Congrats! Lisa (Lidia's Momma) found me from my blog during our first visit to Guatemala. She just "happened" to run across my blog and see that my pictures (of Zoe) had the same house furniture as her pics of Lidia. She wrote to me and SURE ENOUGH our girls were foster sisters. We had the same lawyer but different agencies. We probably never would have met if God hadn't intervened. Now we are great friends!

G- foster mommy

We will call this sweet lady G for her privacy- she was Zoe's foster mommy in Guatemala. She is wonderful and I have the highest respect for the love and care she gave my sweet girl. Zoe lived with her for over a year before coming home with us. I truly thank God for this wonderful foster family. Zoe speaks with G and her family on the phone often.

The struggle to bring Zoe home- Praise You In This Storm

My Husband- LOOK AT THOSE MOVES!

My Christmas 2006 Gift To My Blogger Buddies- a tribute to our children

Zoe's first blog interview after we brought her home- Jan 07 home 2 months